Aqeedah

Notes on Maqalat Al-Tafwid Bayn Al-Salaf Wal-Mutakallimin

Author of Source Text: Dr. Muhammad bin Mahmoud al-KhudairSource Coverage: Pages 20–30+

Executive Summary & General Principle

In Maqalat al-Tafwid bayn al-Salaf wal-Mutakallimin, Dr. Muhammad bin Mahmoud al-Khudair outlines the foundational methodology of the Salaf regarding Divine Attributes (Sifat Allah) and the epistemology of creed ('Aqeedah).

A central principle established across classical scholarly citations is that authentic narrations concerning Allah's attributes are accepted and acted upon whenever the narrators are trustworthy ('adl) and the reports have been received with acceptance (talaqqi bi-l-qabul) by the Muslim Ummah. The Salaf unanimously affirmed these attributes as true reality without inquiring into their modality (bila kayf), without likeness (bi-la tashbih), distortion (tahrif), alteration (tabdil), or modification (taghyir).

Chapter 1: Sifat Allah Tawqifiyah (صفات الله توقيفية)

The primary thesis of Chapter 1 is that the Divine Attributes of Allah are strictly scriptural and bound by textual revelation (Tawqifiyah). Human intellect cannot independently dictate or specify what attributes belong to Allah without text from the Qur'an or authentic Sunnah.

Key Scholar Citations & Historical Context

1. Ibn Qudamah al-Maqdisi (Tahrim al-Nazar fi Kutub al-Kalam)
   • Ibn Qudamah highlights the necessity of adhering strictly to revealed texts regarding Allah's attributes and warns against engaging in speculative theology (Kalam).
   • Core Principle: "لا يوصف إلا بما وصف به نفسه أو وصف به نبيه صلى الله عليه وسلم، وكل صفة وصف بها نفسه"(Allah is not described except with that by which He described Himself or by which His Prophet ﷺ described Him, and every attribute with which He described Himself).
2. Al-I'tiqad al-Qadiri
   • Historical Context: Associated with the Abbasid Caliph Al-Qadir Billah; its author passed away in 422 AH (1031 CE).
   • Academic Reference: Ibn Taymiyyah cites and discusses this creedal document in his work Al-Safadiyyah, affirming its standing as a benchmark statement of orthodox Sunni creed published during that era.
3. Abu Uthman al-Sabuni (d. 449 AH) – Aqeedat al-Salaf wa Ashab al-Hadith
   • Al-Sabuni outlines the consensus of the scholars of Hadith regarding the affirmational methodology:"لا تشبيه له ولا تحريف ولا تبديل ولا تغيير"(There is no resemblance attributed to Him, nor distortion, nor alteration, nor modification).
4. Qawwam al-Sunnah al-Asbahani (d. 535 AH) – Al-Hujjah fi Bayan al-Mahajjah
   • Al-Asbahani summarizes the middle path (al-tariqah al-mutawassitah) between negation (ta'til) and anthropomorphism (takyif):"وقد نفاها قوم فأبطلوا ما أثبت الله، وذهب قوم من المثبتين إلى البحث عن التكييف، والطريقة المحمودة هي الطريقة المتوسطة بين الأمرين، وهذا لأن الكلام في الصفات فرع عن الكلام في الذات، وإثبات الذات إثبات وجود لا إثبات كيفية، فكذلك إثبات الصفات، وإنما إثباتنا لها لأن التوقيف ورد بها، وعلى هذا مضى السلف."(Some groups negated them and thus invalidated what Allah affirmed, while others among those who affirmed them sought after modality. The praised pathway is the intermediate way between the two. This is because speech regarding the Attributes is a branch of speech regarding the Essence; affirming the Essence is an affirmation of existence, not of modality. Likewise is the affirmation of the Attributes: our affirmation of them is solely because scriptural authorization [Tawqif] has come with them, and upon this the Salaf proceeded.)

Chapter 2: Acceptance of Khabar al-Wahid in Beliefs & Attributes

Chapter 2 addresses the epistemological status of solitarily transmitted authentic reports (Khabar al-Wahid al-'Adl) in matters of creed ('Aqeedah) and Divine Attributes.

Key Scholar Citations & Statements

1. Ibn 'Abd al-Barr (d. 463 AH) – Al-Tamhid

• Ibn 'Abd al-Barr confirms the historical consensus of jurists and Hadith scholars regarding single-chain authentic reports:"كشهادة الشهدين والأربعة سواء وعلى ذلك أكثر أهل الفقه والآثار كلهم يدين بخبر الواحد العدل في الاعتقادات ويعادي ويوالي عليها ويجعلها شرعا ودينا في معتقد على ذلك جماعة أهل السنة ولهم في الأحكام ما ذكرناه وبالله توفيقنا."(It is equal to the testimony of two or four witnesses, and upon this are the majority of the scholars of jurisprudence and narrations. All of them hold it as a matter of religion to accept the report of a single upright narrator in beliefs, forming allegiance and enmity based upon it, and making it a divine law and religion in creed. Upon this is the main body of Ahl al-Sunnah...)

1. Imam Abu al-Mudhaffar al-Sam'ani (d. 489 AH) – Qawati' al-Adillah

• Al-Sam'ani details how authentic Hadiths convey binding knowledge (yujib al-'ilm) across all domains of creed—including the Divine Attributes (Sifat), Predestination (Qadar), the Beatific Vision (Ru'yah), the core of faith (Asl al-Iman), Intercession (Shafa'ah), the Basin (Hawd), the liberation of monotheists from Hellfire, and the details of Paradise and Hell:"إن الخبر إذا صح عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، ورواه الثقات والأئمة، وأسنده خلفهم عن سلفهم إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، وتلقته الأمة بالقبول، فإنه يوجب العلم في سبيله..."(Indeed, when a report is authentic from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, narrated by trustworthy narrators and leaders, chained continuously from predecessor to successor, and received by the Ummah with acceptance, it necessitates definitive knowledge...)
• Refutation of those who reject single-narrator reports in belief:"فلو كان واحد من أصحابه لا يؤديه إلى الأمة ونقل عنه، فإذا لم يقبل قول الراوي لأنه واحد، رجع هذا العيب إلى المؤدي، نعوذ بالله من هذا القول الشنيع والاعتقاد القبيح."(If a single Companion conveyed a teaching to the Ummah, and then the narrator's statement were rejected simply because he is one, this defect would ultimately reflect back on the conveyer [the Companion/Prophet]. We seek refuge in Allah from such a heinous statement and repulsive belief.)

1. Abu Ubayd al-Qasim ibn Salam (d. 224 AH) – Kitab al-Sifat

• Affirms Hadiths narrated regarding Divine Attributes (such as the Divine Vision, the Kursi, and Allah's laughter) as reality to be believed as they came, without asking "how" (bila kayf), noting that this was the position of all recognized scholars of Hadith and Fiqh.

1. Imam Abu Isa al-Tirmidhi (d. 279 AH) – Sunan al-Tirmidhi

• Cites the position of early authorities—including Sufyan al-Thawri, Malik ibn Anas, Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak, Sufyan ibn Uyaynah, and Waki' ibn al-Jarrah—who passed down narrations regarding Divine Attributes (such as the Hadith regarding the Foot in Hellfire) with the rule: accept them, report them, and believe in them without questioning "how" (bila kayf).

1. Imam Ibn Batta al-Ukbari (d. 387 AH) – Al-Ibanah al-Kubra

• Documents the unified stance of the early Salaf in accepting authentic narrations regarding the Divine Attributes and holding them as central pillars of orthodox Islamic creed.

Chapter 3: Ithbat al-Sifat al-Ikhtiyariyyah (إثبات الصفات الاختيارية)

Chapter 3 focuses on the affirmation of Allah's Voluntary/Volitional Attributes (Al-Sifat al-Ikhtiyariyyah or al-Fi'liyyah), contrasting them with His Essential Attributes (Al-Sifat al-Dhatiyyah).

Categorization of Divine Attributes

Divine Attributes (صفات الله)

│

┌────────────────────────┴────────────────────────┐

▼ ▼

Essential Attributes (الصفات الذاتية) Voluntary Attributes (الصفات الاختيارية)

(Never separate from His Essence) (Tied to His Will and Power)

• Knowledge (العلم) • Creation (الخلق)

• Power (القدرة) • Coming / Arrival (المجيء والإتيان)

• Life (الحياة) • Ascending (الاستواء)

• Face (الوجه) • Descending (النزول)

• Hands (اليدان) • Anger (الغضب) & Pleasure (الرضا)

1. Al-Sifat al-Ikhtiyariyyah (Voluntary Attributes):

• Definition: Attributes that are connected to Allah's sovereign Will (Mashi'ah) and Power (Qudrah). If He wills, He performs them, and if He wills, He does not.
• Examples: Creation (al-khalq), Coming (al-ma'i), Ascending above the Throne (al-istiwa'), Descending (al-nuzul), Anger (al-ghadab), and Happiness/Pleasure (al-rida).

1. Al-Sifat al-Dhatiyyah (Essential Attributes):

• Definition: Permanent attributes that never separate from Allah's Essence (la tunfakk 'an al-dhat).
• Examples: Knowledge (al-'ilm), Power (al-qudrah), Life (al-hayah), Face (al-wajh), and Hands (al-yadayn).

Philosophical Arguments & Refutations: Mutakallimun, Ibn Kullab, and Hulul al-Hawadith

1. The Objections of the Mutakallimun (Ash'aris & Maturidis)

• Primary Theological Concern (Hulul al-Hawadith): The Mutakallimun rejected Al-Sifat al-Ikhtiyariyyah because they posited that affirming actions or attributes occurring sequentially or at specific points in time would necessitate Hulul al-Hawadith (the occurrence of temporal events within the Divine Essence), which they held would imply change (taghayyur) or temporal origination (huduth) in Allah.
• Ibn Kullab's Position: Abdullah ibn Sa'id ibn Kullab denied voluntary attributes on these exact premises, attempting to preserve Divine pre-eternity by denying any active volitional attribute tied to Divine Will.

2. Explanation of Al-Bayjuri (Hashiyat al-Bayjuri 'ala Jawharat al-Tawhid)

• In his commentary on Jawharat al-Tawhid, Ibrahim al-Bayjuri clarifies the Ash'ari position on "attributes of action" (sifat al-af'al):
• Relational Connection (Ta'alluq al-Qudrah): According to the Ash'aris, attributes of action (such as Creation, Provisioning, or Giving Life) are not real, active attributes residing in Allah's Essence that occur in time.
• Mechanism: Instead, they are defined merely as various external, relational connections of Allah's Eternal Power (Ta'alluqat al-Qudrah) to the created objects (al-maqdurat). By viewing action attributes purely as external relational effects rather than intrinsic attributes of the Essence, the Mutakallimun sought to avoid affirming what they termed Hulul al-Hawadith.

Subheading: Scholarly Consensus on Volitional Actions & Rejection of Ta'wil

Abu Uthman al-Sabuni (d. 449 AH) – Aqeedat al-Salaf wa Ashab al-Hadith

Imam Abu Uthman al-Sabuni explicitly documents the total consensus (ijma') of the early Imams of the Salaf on affirming Allah's voluntary actions without metaphorical reinterpretation (ta'wil):"وقد اتفقوا، أي أئمة السلف، متفقون على إثبات نزول الرب تبارك وتعالى كل ليلة إلى السماء الدنيا، وكذلك هم مجموعون على إثبات الإتيان والمجيء وسائر الصفات الموجودة في الكتاب والسنة، من غير تحريف ولا تعطيل ولا تكييف ولا تمثيل، ولم يثبت عن أحد من السلف أنه تأول شيئًا من ذلك."(And they agreed—meaning the Imams of the Salaf—they are in total agreement on affirming the Nightly Descent [Nuzul] of the Lord, Blessed and Exalted, every night to the lowest heaven. Likewise, they are gathered in consensus on affirming Arrival [Ityan], Coming [Maji'], and all other attributes present in the Book and Sunnah, without distortion [tahrif], negation [ta'til], asking "how" [takyif], or resemblance [tamthil]. And not a single statement is proven from any of the Salaf that he metaphorically reinterpreted [ta'awwala] anything of that.)

Textual Proofs from the Qur'an (Adillah min al-Qur'an)

The Qur'an explicitly affirms Divine Volitional Actions (al-Fi'l wal-Ikhtiyar) and voluntary attributes linked to His divine Will:

• Affirmation of Divine Choice & Sovereign Will:
• "وَرَبُّكَ يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَاءُ وَيَخْتَارُ" (And your Lord creates what He wills and chooses - Surah Al-Qasas: 68)
• "فَعَّالٌ لِّمَا يُرِيدُ" (Doer of whatever He intends - Surah Al-Buruj: 16)
• Exemplified Passage: Surah Sad (Verses 73–81):
• Demonstrates Allah's Speech in real time to the angels and to Iblis, creating Adam with His Hands (khalaqtu bi-yadayy), and issuing commands/judgments dynamically:"فَسَجَدَ الْمَلَائِكَةُ كُلُّهُمْ أَجْمَعُونَ ۝ إِلَّا إِبْلِيسَ اسْتَكْبَرَ وَكَانَ مِنَ الْكَافِرِينَ ۝ قَالَ يَا إِبْلِيسُ مَا مَنَعَكَ أَن تَسْجُدَ لِمَا خَلَقْتُ بِيَدَيَّ أَسْتَكْبَرْتَ أَمْ كُنتَ مِنَ الْعَالِينَ ۝ قَالَ أَنَا خَيْرٌ مِّنْهُ خَلَقْتَنِي مِن نَّارٍ وَخَلَقْتَهُ مِن طِينٍ ۝ قَالَ فَاخْرُجْ مِنْهَا فَإِنَّكَ رَجِيمٌ ۝ وَإِنَّ عَلَيْكَ لَعْنَتِي إِلَىٰ yَوْمِ الدِّينِ..."

Sunnah Proofs: Hadith Qudsi of Al-Fatihah (Hadith Abu Hurayrah)

The Hadith Qudsi narrated by Abu Hurayrah regarding the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah in prayer provides explicit proof of real-time Divine Speech (Kalam ba'da Kalam):"قسمت الصلاة بيني وبين عبدي نصفين... فإذا قال العبد: {إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ}، قال الله: هذا بيني وبين عبدي، ولعبدي ما سأل. وإذا قال: {اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ}، قال: هذا لعبدي ولعبدي ما سأل."

Theological Deduction & Refutation

• Real-Time Responsiveness (Kalam ba'da Kalam): This narration proves that Allah responds directly and dynamically to His servant's recitation verse by verse during prayer, demonstrating sequential Divine Speech (Kalam ba'da Kalam).
• Refutation of Speculative Theology (Kalam): This authentic text completely refutes those deprived of this understanding who claim that Allah's Speech is static solely in pre-eternity (al-azal) without letters or sound (bila harf wa-la sawt).

Proofs from Sahih al-Bukhari (Kitab al-Tawhid & Hadith al-Shafa'ah)

1. Hadith of the Divine Call on the Day of Resurrection:"يُنَادِي بِصَوْتٍ يَسْمَعُهُ مَنْ بَعُدَ كَمَا يَسْمَعُهُ مَنْ قَرُبَ: أَنَا الْمَلِكُ أَنَا الدَّيَّانُ..."(He will call out with a voice heard by those far away just as it is heard by those near: "I am the Sovereign, I am the Recompenser...")
2. Hadith of Intercession (Hadith al-Shafa'ah):

• In Sahih al-Bukhari, during the great intercession on Judgment Day, the Prophets (Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus, peace be upon them) proclaim:"إِنَّ رَبِّي قَدْ غَضِبَ الْيَوْمَ غَضَبًا لَمْ يَغْضَبْ قَبْلَهُ مِثْلَهُ، وَلَنْ يَغْضَبَ بَعْدَهُ مِثْلَهُ"(Indeed, my Lord has become angry today with an anger such as He has never been angry with before, nor will He ever be angry with the like of it hereafter.)

Scholarly Consensus Recorded by Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari (Maqalat al-Islamiyyin)

Imam Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari (d. 324 AH) documents the explicit consensus of the scholars of Hadith and Ahl al-Sunnah regarding Divine Volitional Movement and Coming on Judgment Day:"جملة قول أصحاب الحديث وأهل السنة... وأنه يجيء يوم القيامة كما قال: {وَجَاءَ رَبُّكَ وَالْمَلَكُ صَفًّا صَفًّا}، وأنه يدنو من خلقه كيف شاء..."(The consensus statement of the scholars of Hadith and Ahl al-Sunnah is... that Allah comes on the Day of Resurrection as He said: {And your Lord comes with the angels rank upon rank}, and that He draws near to His creation as He wills...)

Summary Matrix of Scholars & Key Themes

Chapter / Scholar

Death Date

Primary Work / Topic

Core Principle / Definition

Ibn Qudamah

620 AH

Tahrim al-Nazar fi Kutub al-Kalam

Divine Attributes are Tawqifiyah (revelation-bound).

Caliph Al-Qadir Billah

422 AH

Al-I'tiqad al-Qadiri

Benchmark creed cited in Ibn Taymiyyah's Al-Safadiyyah.

Abu Uthman al-Sabuni

449 AH

Aqeedat al-Salaf wa Ashab al-Hadith

Total consensus of Salaf on Nuzul, Maji', and Ityan without ta'wil.

Ibrahim al-Bayjuri

1276 AH

Hashiyat al-Bayjuri 'ala Jawharat al-Tawhid

Ash'ari explanation: Action attributes treated as ta'alluq al-qudrah to avoid Hulul al-Hawadith.

Qawwam al-Sunnah al-Asbahani

535 AH

Al-Hujjah fi Bayan al-Mahajjah

Intermediate path; speech on attributes is a branch of speech on Essence.

Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari

324 AH

Maqalat al-Islamiyyin

Consensus of Ahl al-Sunnah on affirming Allah's Coming (Maji') and drawing near (Dunuw) as He wills.

Ibn 'Abd al-Barr

463 AH

Al-Tamhid

Consensus of Ahl al-Sunnah on Khabar al-Wahid in creed.

Abu al-Mudhaffar al-Sam'ani

489 AH

Qawati' al-Adillah

Accepted authentic reports convey knowledge in 'Aqeedah.

Ibn Kullab

240 AH

Refutation of Sifat Ikhtiyariyyah

Rejection of voluntary attributes tied to premises of Huduth al-Ajsam and Hulul al-Hawadith.

Imam al-Bukhari

256 AH

Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith al-Shafa'ah)

Proves Al-Fi'l al-Ikhtiyari and Divine Anger ("غضب اليوم") occurring in real time.